(i) Minute 50(i) Grants – Ponteland Repertory Society
A letter of thanks had been received from the Repertory Society in respect of their recent grant.

69. PLANNING

(i) Planning Committee
Minutes of meetings held on 28 June and 12 July 2016 were circulated for information.

(ii) Report on recent planning decisions
There was nothing to report.

70. GRANT APPLICATIONS

(i) Community Action Northumberland
A letter had been received from the above organisation in respect of a donation towards the cost of providing their services. The Council appreciated the excellent work this organisation carried out for village halls and other groups in the County and agreed to award a donation of £150.

RESOLVED – A grant of £150 be approved.

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CHAIRMAN DATE

71. YOUTH SERVICES GRANT

A report by the Clerk in relation to payment of the grant towards the cost of providing youth services in Ponteland had been circulated.
Councillors were reminded of the background to this issue.

Concern was expressed by some Councillors that Ponteland was now grouped in with Morpeth and Cramlington in relation to youth services and there was concern about what this meant for the neighbouring rural areas surrounding Ponteland.
It was also felt that additional information was required as to how the grant would be spent and how this could be measured.

After some discussion it was agreed that the grant should be released but that the officer at NCC be asked to attend a separate meeting with the Town Council to discuss the areas of concern listed above.

RESOLVED – The payment of the grant be approved and that the officer at NCC be asked to attend a meeting with the Town Council to discuss the various concerns referred to above.

72. PROJECTS REPORT

The projects report had been circulated for the information of Councillors.
It was noted that several items had been completed.

RESOLVED – The report to be accepted.

73. HIGHWAYS WORKING PARTY

Minutes of a meeting of the above Working Party held on 15 July 2016 had been circulated.

RESOLVED – The minutes and the following recommendations be approved.

(i) Northumberland Local Transport Plan submission 2017-18
That the following suggestions be approved for submission to the County Council in respect of the LTP for 2017-18:

1) Raised Bus Stops along the A696 and main bus routes for reasons of accessibility.

The NCC Officer advised that 2 new raised bus stops were scheduled to be installed at Clickemin; however leaving it as a priority would mean the likelihood of further installations in 2017/18, as accessibility scored highly in the selection process.

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CHAIRMAN DATE

73. HIGHWAYS WORKING PARTY (Continued)

2) New Footpaths – A number of new footpaths including kerbing where required, in order of priority, to improve the accessibility in the village.
1 Eastern Way (500m)
2 The Rise (800m)
3 Errington & Marian Way (550m)
4 Western Way (400m)

3) Installation of a number of hoop bike bollards at the top of Merton Way to improve pedestrian safety.

And the following as reserve items:-

1) Installation of 4 no streetlights on Marian Way. – This is a through road between Errington Road and The Rise, currently with neither footpaths nor streetlights. Also 2no lights to the link between Middle Drive and Parklands. – These are valuable additions for children going to and from the schools [Darras First School, Ponteland Middle and High.]. New lighting columns in various locations including but not limited to Greenacres, Avondale, Burnside, Callerton Court, Cote Hill and Eland View as requested by residents.

2) Localised Kerbing
While there are kerbs on most roads in the built up area, there are two through routes which still have to be completed. These are The Rise and Woodside. The Rise has about 10% complete while Woodside has about 55% complete. The effect on The Rise has been most marked as the roadside verge is in very poor state. This has on one side been aggravated by extensive service work (Gas & Electricity).

The estimated lengths are
1The Rise[ 1500m]
2 Woodside [700m]

Councillors had previously made various requests including footpath and or road re-surfacing. The NCC Officer explained that many of these requests could not be funded by the LTP but advised that the suggestions be included at the bottom of the Council’s submission and funded by alternative funding stream. Members agreed the following for inclusion in the submission.

Request for 20 no Dropped Kerbs on North Road

Installation of tarmac at the top of Merton Way to replace broken and uneven paving flags.

Additional maintenance of the footpath levels at Broadway/Middle Drive near the Dental Practice; this area regularly floods during wet weather and Members were concerned that if the area were to freeze it would constitute a severe slipping hazard.
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CHAIRMAN DATE

73. HIGHWAYS WORKING PARTY (Continued)

Permission to install a Bus Shelter at either Middle Drive/Collingwood Crescent or Broadway beside the URC Church depending on usage data to be supplied.

‘The Council appreciate that projects funded by capital maintenance are prioritised by various means as part of the annual road maintenance review in order to target the roads in most need of resurfacing.

The Town Council is aware that the remaining portion of Middle Drive is due to be re-surfaced in August 2016 to complete the project which was started in 2013; however consideration should also be made regarding Eastern Way, specifically the portion from Edgehill to Middle Drive about which the Town Council has received complaints. Finally the Council wishes to nominate footpaths along Callerton Lane for total resurfacing treatments, in the interest of pedestrian safety.

(ii) Misuse of a Disabled Parking Bay at Merton Car Park.

The Working Party had discussed the continued misuse of some of the disabled bays at Merton car park; this was partly due to a website advertising the car park as unlimited free parking. Mr McKenzie advised that any change to prevent overnight parking to include the Disabled Bays would require a Traffic Regulation Order. Members agreed to recommend to the Council to request a TRO to prevent all overnight parking to ameliorate this problem.
This recommendation was approved although some concerns were expressed regarding the proposal in terms of inconvenience to residents who wished to leave their car overnight for example when having a night out in Ponteland.

74. ENVIRONMENT WORKING PARTY

Minutes of a meeting of the above Working Party held on 18 July 2016 had been circulated.

RESOLVED – The minutes and the following recommendations to be approved:

(i) Request for replacement seats at Eland estate
Agree to supply two seats and a bin if required for this area and that the East Ward Councillors continue to liaise with the resident in relation to the play area and the possible formation of a residents group. It was noted that the seats and bin would be re-located from the current library site to this location.

(ii) Amendment to seat policy
The Council endorsed the amendment to the seat policy regarding plaques.

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CHAIRMAN DATE

74. ENVIRONMENT WORKING PARTY (Continued)
(ii) Coates Green path
It was agreed to approve the recommendation of the Working Party and to continue seeding or turfing the desire line area at the above location for the time being.

(iii) Light changing to Pele Tower
To proceed with the installation of the more suitable system as outlined to the Environment Working Party at a total cost of £3200.

75. PONTELAND LIBRARY

It was reported that information had been sought from the County Council/Active Northumberland regarding the timescale for the re-location of the library from its current site to the Leisure Centre. Information had been received that confirmed the library would be moved by mid September. There was no indication at present what the site would be used for.

Councillor Dodd reported on discussions he had had with the Chief Executive of Active Northumberland regarding proposals for the current site.

Councillors were disappointed that there was no indication at this time as to what the current site of the library would be used for.

RESOLVED – The information be noted.

76. NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY COUNCIL REPORT

Councillor Dodd stated that there was little to report from the County Council
during August.

(i) Letter from Chief Executive NCC re Core Strategy – Proposed
Major modifications
The Town Council had recently written to NCC with queries regarding the
consultation on the Proposed Major Modifications to the Core Strategy.
The response confirmed that NCC wanted to work with the Town Council and
the Neighbourhood Plan Group regarding their proposals for education,
leisure, community facilities and housing. The Town Council had already
requested a meeting with a senior officer at NCC to discuss the education and
leisure proposals however the Town Council would discuss whether they
wished to discuss the housing options when formally approached by NCC.
The Town Council had also queried why a drop in event for residents had not
been planned for Ponteland. The response stated that this was due to the
fact there were no proposed changes to the housing numbers for Ponteland
unlike Hexham and Morpeth. The letter confirmed that there would be a
further consultation exercise in the Autumn regarding a proposed
Supplementary Planning Document for Ponteland.

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CHAIRMAN DATE

77. MAYOR’S REPORT

(i) Mayor’s Diary
The Mayor submitted details of his diary engagements for July and August 2016 as well as some forthcoming events in September.

The Mayor referred to the opening of the National Tandem Rally at Kirkley Hall held on Saturday 6 August and stated that he was pleased to have been involved in this event and to welcome cyclists from all over the country and Europe. He hoped that the Town Council could get involved if the event returned to the area in future years.

(ii) Mayor’s account
Details of income and expenditure in respect of the Mayor’s account for 2015-6 and 2016-17 to date was circulated for information.

(iii) Mayor’s Christmas Drinks event
The Mayor’s Christmas drinks event
4
]]#was to be held at the Golf Club on Monday 19th December commencing at 11.30 a.m.

78. REPORTS BY TOWN COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES ON LOCAL ORGANISATIONS

(i) Ponteland Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group – Minutes of
Meetings held on 31 May, 28 June and 12 July 2016.
Minutes of the above meeting had been circulated for information.

(ii) Ponteland Memorial Hall AGM – 28.7.16
Councillor Mrs Butcher had circulated the minutes of the above meeting for information.
She passed on the thanks of the Memorial Hall members to the Council in respect of the annual grant they received from the Town Council which was invaluable to the hall.

79. ACCOUNTS/BANK RECONCILIATION/BUDGET REPORT

The Accounts Committee approved payments totalling £32295.65 and the transfer of this sum from the Council’s Deposit Account. The Bank reconciliation for July 2016 was also approved. A quarterly budget update report that included details of various revisions had also been circulated.

RESOLVED – The reports to be approved.

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CHAIRMAN

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DATE

DATE OF NEXT MEETING – WEDNESDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2016 AT 6.45 P.M. AT THE TOWN COUNCIL OFFICES

PNV November 2018 issue 158

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